Getting started...

This is a discussion on Getting started... within the Defensive Carry & Tactical Training forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; I'm located in Orlando, Florida and I am just getting into the pistol scene. Does anyone know where the best place to get started for ...

Getting started...

I'm located in Orlando, Florida and I am just getting into the pistol scene. Does anyone know where the best place to get started for tactical combat shooting (in retrospect to my area) is? Every month there are dates and locations inside my American Rifleman magazine for competitions, but I'm not sure jumping right into competition without first having experienced the event on the side is the best thing to do...or is it?

I am glad to see you are wanting to take training classes, many do not.

Check this thread out, shackle me knot (Shay) is a trainer at Tactical Response and linked a good scool in Florida. I'm not sure if it's in your area but I travel almost 200 miles one way to train because it is worth it.

I am sure there are other school's that you can got to as well but this should get ya started. PM or email Shay as well and see if he can point you in the right direction to a school in your area.

Training is very important, and can be a little easier to find if you start associating with folks in the local shooting fraternity. Iíd suggest you go to http://www.idpa.com/clublist.asp?state=FL , look up a local IDPA club in your area, and start going to the matches they hold.

Donít confuse IDPA competition with training. It isnít training, but itís a good place to practice defensive shooting skills, and on-going practice is important. Many of the guys youíll run into at IDPA matches will give you shooting pointers and help coach you along.

Once you get to know some of the guys in your local club, Iíd be very surprised if they couldnít direct you to local trainers, and give you recommendations as to who the better ones are. I wouldnít be surprised if some of the folks shooting at these matches are themselves trainers.

At some point, you may want to consider spending a week at one of the nationally known training schools. A while back I spent a week at Gunsite in Arizona. Not only did I learn and reinforce some critical shooting skills, it served as a really fun vacation, as well.

I know Orlando pretty well. Other than a CCW permit class, there is no one in that area that I would trust to train me. One facility in particular trains it's students to always keep their finger on the trigger at all times!!!(This violates every legit training doctrine in existance)

To the south (In Sebring) there is a world class trainer by the name of Andy Stanford. Randy Cain, also world class, does classes in Lakeland. Either of these guys will give you some of the best training available to civilians anywhere in the world.

While I have yet to train there I hear great things about training mentioned in Lakeland. If you're interested in IDPA and the like drop in to East Orange Shooting Sports and talk with the crew there. Most of them compete in IPSC or IDPA. They also do a little light competition there weekly.

Gary, who the heck is training that? That's pretty spooky! PM me if you can. Several people I know who are just getting started have asked me where to get some basics and I'd steer them away from them for sure.

If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good. ~ Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

Awesome, Lakeland is not that far away and Sebring is still just a drive away. I'll search around to see if they've got a web page for their training sessions because that seems like it would be too cool :)

EL, is that East Orange Shooting Sports located in Orange county or is it just a name relating to Florida? I'll do a little searching into that as well but I've always found people to be more informative then directories :P

Thanks all for replies. My dad recommended this forum to me and I've been amazed at the results thus far.

If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good. ~ Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

I used to shoot at East Orange when it's previous owner, Ron Williams had it. I moved about the time it changed hands, so I haven't been there since. It is a really nice facility, though. I always enjoyed shooting there.